ZDNet reports that Microsoft CFO (New Zealander!) Chris Liddell said Yahoo, assuming it is acquired by the software giant, will play a big software as a service role in the combined company.Liddell, speaking at the Morgan Stanley Technology Conference, said that “clearly, software as a service is going to be a bigger component of the business going forward.” Part of that comment was pegged to today’s news about Microsoft’s online service plans. Liddell said that Microsoft views Yahoo as one on-ramp to delivering SaaS.
The plans announced today seem much more Software + Services orientated than pureplay SaaS but perhaps Liddell’s comments are a start to MS being more open about SaaS itself?
